Ute found buried in backyard five years after it was reported stolen

A MAN has been charged with fraud after his ute - reported stolen five years ago - was found buried in his backyard.

It's alleged the 52-year-old from Gordonvale in Queensland used excavation equipment to dig a hole big enough to hide the Mazda around 400m from his house on the 24ha property, the Cairns Post reports.

Police investigated the theft when the man reported it, but found no trace of the 2005 vehicle.

Sen-Constable Russell Parker said the Cairns property crime squad and Edmonton detectives relaunched the investigation about two months ago following a public tip-off in early June.

They executed a search warrant on the remote property on June 17 and allegedly found the remains of a vehicle.

"An excavator was used to locate the remains of the vehicle from where it had allegedly been buried," Sen-Constable Parker said.

"It is believed he allegedly used excavation equipment to initially bury the vehicle."

He has been charged with fraud after allegedly making a successful insurance claim on the three-year-old utility, and will front Cairns Magistrates' Court later this month.